The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1887-02-03
A VALENTINE.

~--~'
Fairfax Indeed l can't 60. Pm in
hurry to get my quilt together" de-
clared Patty Ann Bunting, as she put the
finishing touch to the block of pink-afd-
blue nine patch she was picclng. ~
"And pve got the kitchen and back
porch to scour, and some ironing to do
before Sunday" cried Adaline. $50
it's out of the question for me to 60"
"Well, 1 shan't go either" asserted
Penelope, the youngest Miss Bunting,
tossing back her tar-blaclS braids and
frowning ominous'y. 'If Cecil Fairfax
chooses to go accounting that hateful,
stuck-up Priscilla Pinkham, he can get
somebody besides me to stay with his
mother, can tell him."
'But papa thinks so much of old Mrs.
Fairfax" demurred Patty Ann, "hc
won't hear to none of us going
"There COMES Vincy Farron in the
gate now," cried Adaline. 'Lct's get
her to 60, and not tell her Cecil's gone
away. It'll be good joke"
eyes" agreed Penelope. '1t'll serve
her just right. She was setting her cap
for Cecil all summer, till that Pinkham
girl como and caught him."
'Pooh! He don't care snap for
viney, anyway" said Patty Ann, get
ting red in the face. 'But she can't re-
fuse to 60, and that'll save us the trou-
ble."
Viney Farron was cousin Of the Bunt-
ing girls. She lived with her brother
and his wife in little log cabin, on a
ten acre farm adjoining that of her Un-
Gle Bunting.
Tom Farron and his wife were poor as
church mice themselves, but they gave
their sister home, and she helped to
exc out the slender income by knitting
socks for the village store at forty cents
pair, and by "taking in" sewing when.
ever she could get it.
II came over to borrow some Drowned
Coffee" said Viney, coming in fresh and
rosy from the frosty winter air.
"Yes, to be sure" returned Adaline,
more cheerful than was her wont. "And,
Viney, would you mind going over e
old Mrs. Fairfax's to-day2 She wante q
some one of us to come, but we are al
30 busy"
And with little deepening of th'
pink in her cheeks, Viney gave the re
quired assent, and tripped away with
her bowl of coffee, while the three
cousins burst into hearty laugh at tn,
success of their plan.
"She thinks Cecil will be there" sale
Penelope, maliciously. "Won't she b.
nicely fooled, thought
"Come in, my dear. 1 am SO glad t,
rsee you" said old Mrs. Fairfax, as Vim
ey appeared, with rosy cheeks and
; fringe of curling, light brown hair peep
ing from under her scarlet hood. "You'l
stay all night, won't you, Vineyf' SAT-
the old lady, placing chair for the Wis
itor close to the sparkling hardwood fir
that was glowing on the broad hearth.
81 didn't expect to stay so long" sal
viney, the dimples dancing in her brigh
checks; "but can, if you want me-"
And she thought of the pleasant tint
she would have, chatting with Cecil {
supper, and aftcrward, with the fircligl
flashing brightly on the hearth, an
lighting up the pleasant, cosey sitting
DOM, with its bright rag carpet, il
spider-legged chairs and claw-foote
mahogany table.
cpl be glad to have you stay" sal
Mrs. Fairfax, stirring up the fire with
long hickory poker, ''fur Cccil's gone
the city, an I'll be alone oil night"
Viney's heart, which had been as lisl